Feeding your cat is one of the biggest responsibilities you as a pet owner have.
It is the foundation on which all the rest of her life is built, since poor quality food or bad eating habits can create health problems and make your little kitty’s life miserable.
Other than choosing the absolute best food possible, you can actually make a big positive impact by choosing the best cat food bowl, which we’ve reviewed below for you to make the best decision.
If a cat isn’t happy with her bowl, she may not eat enough.
Or perhaps she’s scarfing down her food too fast, and getting fat. There are solutions to this (like an interactive slow feeder, which we suggest below).
Maybe your furball is prone to chin acne, and her cheap plastic bowl is making her breakout, causing pain and discomfort.
All of these things will negatively impact your cat’s life, and are easy fixes!
If you’re not ready to go for an automatic cat feeder, or you prefer to feed wet food and like to provide a fresh serving each time, then read on to see if one of our top picks will suit you and your kitty.
Our review process is unbiased and based on extensive research. If you buy through the links on our site, we may earn a commission.
Rating The Best Cat Bowls
Editor’s Choice
CatGuru Bowl
- Smart design with ripples to prevent food from sliding
- Non-slip silicon legs
- Dishwasher safe
Necoichi Raised Bowl
- Raised bowl to reduce risk of backflow and maximize comfort
- Subtle inner lip eliminate spills
- Curvature ensures food stays centered in bowl
Reviews Of The Best “Normal” Cat Food Bowls (Plus an Interactive One For Slow Feeding!)
Not sold on this whole auto-feeder thing? No worries, you’ve got to do what works for you!
Here are a couple of intricacies that you may not have thought about when it comes to these basic forms of feeders.
Cats rely on their whiskers to navigate. A deep bowl with high sides squishes their whiskers. This is uncomfortable for cats.
Not only are their whiskers compromised, but they cannot sense what is happening around them. Bowls with high sides also block their vision.
This is why many cats circle their food bowls discontentedly during dinner time. They do not feel like they are in a safe position to eat.
Purchase a wide, shallow dish instead of a deep bowl to allow her whiskers room to spread.
Or, if your cat scarfs down her meals like she’s starving, maybe you need to slow her down with an interactive “slow” feeder. Basically, it makes it a game for them. You put the food in, and they’ve got to pick it out of the tight spaces, which of course takes longer when they’re getting just one or two bits of kibble at a time!
Here are three dishes that are safe for your cat and received top ratings from us – cat lovers just like you.
EDITOR’S CHOICE
#1. CatGuru Bowl
I was so excited when I saw this bowl, because I thought that it came from a thread on Reddit that I read ages ago.
At the time, some guy measured his cats face and did a whole bunch of fancy stuff with 3D printing, and came out with a bowl that sloped gently like this.
I don’t think it’s the same thing, but either way I’m pumped to find this on the market!
Basically, as I mentioned above, cats can get whisker fatigue, which is uncomfortable for them and can hurt their abilities to finish their food.
This has a gentle slope that allows the cat to be in full control of their eating experience.
Plus, it only fits one meal at a time (roughly), so you’re forced to pay attention to how often and how much your cat eats. Good to keep them healthy!
This comes in 2 shapes, one better for kittens (the oval) and one best for full growns (the circle), and a number of fun colors.
CatGuru gets our top pick for this innovative, non-slip, nicely crafted, dishwasher safe, cat-friendly offering!
#2. Necoichi Raised Bowl
Being conscious of your cat’s comfort is important!
That’s why we recommended the whisker-comfort bowl above, and why we’re recommending this one, to help your cat from straining when he leans down to eat.
This is raised above the ground, so feeding time involves less of a strained neck – especially important for senior cats!
The “regular” size is about 3 inches tall, which isn’t a lot, so it’s not like it’ll tip over, but it’s just enough that it provides some neck relief. (Also comes in smaller and larger sizes).
Also, it’s pretty cute, right?
This is a wonderful option for senior cats who can’t bend down so easily, messy eaters, and cats who eat too fast.
#3. Northmate Interactive Puzzle Slow Feeder
It may look like a bizarre alien thing, but this handy contraption turns feeding time into a stimulating game.
And most importantly, slows meal time down for your vacuum cleaner…er, I mean, cat.
It can also be useful for those who have jaded views about dinner time, and find these more enticing than the empty challenge of a food bowl. It can be more fun and a challenge for kitties who prefer some thrill before their meal, since they’re genetically programmed to hunt their food.
Maybe your cat is eating food so fast she’s vomiting immediately afterwards, or just getting fat. This happens a lot, and over 50% of pets in America are overweight or obese! One of the reasons they can be this way is because they eat so fast and then act hungry. You see they’re done their food, so you think maybe they need to eat a bit more since there’s no way they should be able to scarf it down so fast if it was truly enough food…the cycle begins and kitty packs on the pounds, leading to potentially devastating health consequences down the line.
This particular feeder is affordable, dishwasher safe, and very improtantly, soft and round enough that it doesn’t jab your sweetie’s eyes out when she bends down to get the kibble. It’s a super useful thing to have to slow eating down a notch or two and stop all that vomiting!
